By Executive Editor

The United States Department of State has on Wednesday sanctioned four police officers over “their involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.”

These individuals are Bob Kagarura, the then-Wamala Regional Police Commander of the UPF; Alex Mwine, then-District Police Commander for the Mitanya District of the UPF; Elly Womanya, then-Senior Commissioner within the UPF and Deputy Director of the UPF’s Criminal Investigations Division in charge of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU); and Hamdani Twesigye, then-Deputy Inspector of Police assigned to SIU. As a result of today’s action, Kagarura, Mwine, Womanya, Twesigye, and their immediate family members are generally ineligible for entry into the United States.

“The reports that Kagarura, Mwine, Twesigye, and Womanya were involved in gross violations of human rights, as documented by Ugandan civil court documents, civil society organizations, and independent journalists, are serious and credible. By publicly designating these individuals, the United States reaffirms its commitment to advancing the human rights of all Ugandans and promoting accountability for those responsible for human rights violations,” reads part of the sanction.